Inking mechanism for printing presses



Jan. 13, 1931. H. v. BALL 1,788,504 INKING MECHANI'SM FOR PRINTING PRESSES- Filed June 9. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 13, 1931 H. v.` BALI. 1,788,504

INKING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES Filed June 9. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l S29-naz.-

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r' rein New Yoan, iv. Y., noonronerion onnnw Yoan -INKNG- MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES Application filed June 9, 1928. ASerial No. 284,095).

rlhis invention relates to inlring mechanism for printing presses, especially rotary printing` presses such as are used for printf ing newspapers, magazines and similar products. In order to produce a high quality of printing, the ink must be supplied to the printing plate which is carried `on the plate or form cylinder in an even, continuous flow,

and at a rate that Varies in cxact'proportion to the speed of the press. rilhe ink is supplied. tothe plate by a form roller that rotates inV contact with it and also with an ink cylinder on which the ink is distributed in an even ilm so that it may be transferred to the plate in the proper quantity. The means heretofore employed for distributing' the inl; on the ink cylinder consists of a number' of rollers running in contact with the-inkcylinder and which, in addition tov being rotated, ar also caused to move endwise or vibrated. rlhis combined rollingand vibrating motion ci@ fectively distributes lthe ink, but a great amount of power is consumed in vibrating the rollers and a large number of moving parts are required, whereas with the means herein disclosed the 'same result is accom# plished, very little power isV required and there are no moving parts.

An object oi the invention is to provide an .30 inking mechanism for a rotary printingl press that will supply ink to thev printing plate in the exact quantity and condition required to produce a high quality of printing.

Another object of the invention` is to provide an inling mechanism fulfilling,` therequirements and having only a relatively small number of movingparts.

lt is also an Vobject of the invent-ion to provide an inlring mechanism of generally irn-vk 40 proved construction, whereby the device will be simple, durable, inexpensive in construction, and convenient, practical, serviceable, and efficient in its use. Y

Wit-h the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the desc iption proceeds, the invention residesA in the combination and arrangement of parts, and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it beingunderstood that various changes in the precise embodiment ot' the invention herein disclosed, may be made within the scope ot what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.`

The invention been illustrated in its preferred embodiments in the accompanyingj` drawings, wherein: igure l vis view o-fa portion vof a printing press with one side irameremove'd, and showingthe iniproved inlring mechanism as viewed ifrcinthe side of the press, certain oi' the partsbeingshowr n section.

lliig'uie 2 sectional view talrcn on the line iici Figure `1, viewed in the direction or arrow 2, and depict o" an end portion of one of the ink distributing bars anda portion et the traine that supports it.

Figure Bis-a plan View partly broken away of the ink distributing bar shown in Figure 2 anda portion of the ysuoporting trame.;

Figure d is a sectional viewpartly broken away of one 'ci2 the frames that support the ink distributingbars, taken on the line B-B Y oi' Figure l and viewedV in the direction `of arrow d. Y

Figure 5 is a sectional view of the ink distributing barshown in Figure .Zand a portion ofthe vtraine that supports it, taken von the line C-C of Figure 2 and viewed in the direction of arrow 5.

Figure 6 shows a developed planview of a portion of the face ofthe ink distributing bars showing the arrangement of ribs that distribute the inlron the surface kof the inl cylinder. l v Y Referring to the drawings, ll indicatesa portion oit' a side frame of a printirug,F press,

12 indicates an impression cylinder and 13 indicates a plate or 4Jform cylinder; Ink is supplied to the printing medium, which Vmay be printing plates'carried on the plate cylinder by an ink distributing system hereinafter described.-

lnlring systems for printing` presses com'- prise some form of reservoir which vmay be an inlrountam with a fountain roller therein 'from which theinlr is'transfiierred to the' ink cylinder by a duct or roller, or, the reservoir may Acontain an ink pump having a plurality of cylinders and conduitsV leading therefrom, each to a separatev orifice in an Vao ` ink rail mounted in close proximity to the cylindrical surface of the ink cylinder. An

inl: distributing bars 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20v are formed with curved faces and serve to support spaced ribs or deflectors'diagonally arranged thereon. The curvature ofthe ribs conforms closely to the periphery of the inl; cylinder and the bars are carried in frames 22 and 23 pivoted on the shaft 2,4 which is secured to the main frame 11. The opposite side of the frame 22 is secured by the bolt 25 to the bracket 26 ycarried by the main frame 11, and the opposite side of the frame 23 is secured by the bolt 2T directly to the main frame 11. By removing the bolts 25 and 27, the frames carrying the ink distributing bars may be swung away from the ink cylinder to allow access to therfaces of the bars for inspection or cleaning. It will be understood that swinging the frames does not affect the adjustment yof the' bars and that when the frames are again bolted in place the adjustment will be unchanged.

Means for supporting theink distributing` bars so they may vbejadjusted with reference to theink cylinder is provided. The bars are formed withA parallel sides as shown in -Figure 5 and the intervening bars 28 lof the supporting Vframes are accurately machined to lit them. The ink distributingbars will thus slide between the bars of the frame, but

the opening will not permit ink to pass. rl`he ink distributing bars have extended lugs 29, into which are threaded screws 30 having collars 31 securedY on their Shanks and shouldered heads with hand grips 32. y'lhese screws pass freely through holes in the supporting frames 22 and 23, and it will be seen that by turningthem, the ink distributing bars will be moved radially to the ink cylinder and a nicety of adjustment obtained.V

While adjustingmeans for but one end of the bar is shown it should be understood that similar mechanism is used at the other side of the press for adjusting the other end of the bars. Y Y Y It will be understood that tliepress may be drive-n by suit-ableV means and that'tlie impression cylinder and the plate cylinder will run at thev same speed, aiidgwitlirvtheir surfaces-in contact in order to print on `the web W shown passing between them. A gear 33 is secured to the plate cylinder and meshes with an idler 34, which meshes with a gear 35, secured to the ink cylinder; the ratio of the gearing beingV such that the peripheral speedv of the ink cylinder isi-the same as that of the printing cylinders. Form 1S, 19 and 2O in succession.

rollers 36 and 37 are made of a suitable coinposition material and are mounted to rotate in contact with the ink cylinder 15 and the VFurther rotation of the ink cylinder carries the ink past the ink distributing bars 16, 17, These bars are preferably set so they are spaced at different distances from the cylinder, each bar heilig at a slightly lesser distance than the preceding one. rlhe arrangement of the diagonal ribs 21 on the faces of thebars constitutes a tuccession of oppositely disposedV deflectors in the path of the ink carried on the cylinder, the ribs on one bar deflecting toy one side, all the ink that cannot pass between them and the cylinder,whilethe ribs on the next bar deflect tothe opposite side whatever ink cannot pass undei them. lt is apparent that when these bars are set at progressively diminishing distances from the cylinder that the repeated deflection of the ink from one side to the other will ca use it to be spread in an even ilm across the ink cylinder.V From theink cylin-` derv the ink is transferred by the form rollers 36' and 37 to the printing plates on the plate cylinder 13. Y i i While the invention has-been described as applied to a press to which ink is supplied'by a pump system, it will be understood that the invention is equally applicable to presses equipped'with other means of supplying ink.

Vhat' I claim is: 1. In a printing press, an ink reservoir, an

ink cylinder, a printing medium, means for transferring ink from the reservoir to the ink cylinder, diagonal deliectors arranged adjaf cent to the ink cylinder for distributing theV ink thereom and means for transferring ink from the inlrl cylinder to the printing niediuin.

2. In a printing press, an ink reservoir, an

ink cylinder, a printing medium, means `for transferring inlrfrom the reservoir tothe ink cylinder, stationary means arranged-adjacent to the ink cylinder for distributii'ig'the Y ink longitudinally thereon, and means for transferring inl; from the ink cylinder to the printing medium.

3. Ina printingpress, an ink reservoir, an

ink cylinder, a printing medium, means for transferring ink from the reservoir to the ink cylinder, a support arranged adjacent to the ink cylinder carrying diagonal deflectors interposed in the path of travel of the ink for distributing ink on the ink cylinder. and means for transferring ink from the ink cylinder to the printing medium.

1. 1n a printing press, an inlreservoin an ink cylinder, a printing medium, means for transferring the inli from the reservoir to the ink cylinder, a support 'arranged adjacent to the ink cylinder and carrying oppositely disposed diagonal deflectors interposed in the path of travel of the inl; for distributing the ink on the ink cylinder, and means for transferring the ink from the ink cylinder to the printing medium.

5. in aV printing press, an ink reservoinan ink cylinder, a printing medium, means for transferring inl; fromthe reservoir to the ink cylinder, a support arranged adjacent to the ink cylinder carrying deflectors diagonally arranged in the path of travel of the ink for distributing ink on the ink cylinder,

and means for transferring ink from the ink 'cylinder to the printing medium. o

G. In a printing press, an ink reservoir, an ink cylinder, a printing medium, means for transfer ing the ink from the reservoir to the ink cylinder, a plurality of deflectors adjacent the ink cylinder, and in the path'of travel of the ink, said deflector's being arranged at different distances from the ink cylinder, and means for transferring the ink from the inl; cylinder to the printing mei diuin.

7. ln a printing press, an inl; reservoir, an ink cylinder, a printing medium, means for transferring ink from the reservoir to the ink cylinder, a plurality of deflectors adjacent the ink cylinder and inthe path of travel of theV ink, said deflectors being arranged at progressively lesser distances from the ink cylinder, and means for transferring ink from the ink cylinder to the printing medium. i

8. In a printing press, an ink reservoir, an inl; cylinder, a printing medium, means for transferring ink from the reservoir to the inl; cylinder, a plurality of independently adjustable supports carrying deflectors adj acent the ink cylinder and in the path of travel of the ink for distributing ink on saidv ink cylinder, and means for transferring ink from the ink Vcylinder to the printing medium.

9. ln a printing press, an ink reservoir, an inl; cylinder, a printing medium, means for transferring ink from the reservoir to the inl; cylinder, a frame Carrying deflectors on supj ports, said dei'lectors being normally' adjacent to 'the inl; cylinder and in the path of travel of the iik, means whereby the frame may readily be moved With relation to the cylinder to provide access to the parts, and means for transferring ink from the ink cylinder to the printing medium. j

l0. ln a printing press, an ink reservoir, an ink cylinder, a printing medium, means for transferring ink from the reservoir to the ink cylinder, a moveable frame carrying deectors, said de'tlectors being normally adj acent to the ink cylinder and adjustable in the frame, means whereby Vwhen the frame is moved to expose the deflectors, the adjustdiagonal del'ectors supported adjacent to they i ink cylinder and 4in the path of travelof the inl carried on the cylinder..V f

l2. The method of distributing ink'on the peripheral surface of an ink cylinder of a printing machine, consisting of depositing a quantity of inl: on the cylinder, displacing towardsv one end of the cylinder, the ink in kexcess of a layer of pre-determined thickness, rthen displacing towards the otherv end of the cylinder, ink inyeXcess of a layer ofA less thickness.

13. The method of distributing inl: on the peripheral. surface of an ink cylinder ofv a printing machine, consisting of depositing a quantity of ink on the cylinder, iinpelling to, another part of the cylinderrthe portion of said quantity that is in excess of a film of pre-determined thickness, subjecting the inl; to the impelling operation repeatedly, and leaving a thinner film afterv each operation.

In testimony whereof, I ax my signature.

HARRY V. BALL. 

